Making transnational structures visible and actors accountable

What we do

We, nine experienced journalists from eight European countries, are “Investigate Europe”. We will research as a multinational team. We will share, merge and crosscheck facts – tackling the usual national bias. We will point out responsible transnational structures and actors in issues of European-wide relevance to make it possible to hold them accountable.

Private Flights – The loopholes in Europe’s data collection

We investigate how lobbying by companies providing private jets, as well as tourist flights, succeeded in preventing their passengers’ data being subject to the same regulations as passengers on other flights.

Experts from different countries sound the alarm on the growing market of “fly fast” flights, which can be used for drugs, human trafficking and terrorist movement towards and inside Europe.

Previous Publication

There’s a good chance you have never heard of BlackRock. In less than 30 years, this American financial firm has grown from nothing to becoming the world’s largest and most trusted manager of other people’s money. The assets left in their care are worth a staggering 6.3 trillion US dollars – a figure with 12 zeroes. How much and where does BlackRock invest in Europe?City Chem3d1a Chem3d1a La City Black Chem3d1a Chem3d1a La City City Black La Black La WgUqfg How does this enormous financial power exert its influence and to what consequences for European companies and their employees? And will BlackRock’s recently-announced social expectations – from companies it invests in – help make the business world a better place?

Latest News

Blackrock auditing European banks: A Conflict of Interest?

The ECB has appointed the financial group Blackrock to carry out checks on banks, although the group holds shares in these banks. Experts warn against a conflict of interest.

Since 2011, the European Central Bank and the supervisory authorities of some eurozone countries have repeatedly engaged experts from Blackrock, which also manages large blocks of shares in most major banks. In addition to the ECB, the central banks in the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus and Greece rely on the consultancy of “Blackrock Solutions”, according to research by Investigate Europe. Those responsible have so far rejected the allegation that the external advisors carry a conflict of interest in official banking supervision – though Blackrock is also the major shareholder of the banks concerned. The ECB assured that the Blackrock consultants were “contractually guaranteed” that they would operate strictly separated from the rest of the Group’s business. But now, for the first time, one of the institutions concerned, the Greek Central Bank, has acknowledged that a separation cannot be guaranteed. Upon request, a spokesman of the Greek central bank governor wrote to Investigate Europe that his authority explicitly excluded Blackrock’s advisors from participating in the “stress tests” carried out in 2015 for the four major Greek banks “because of potential conflicts of interest”.